1. Field
The disclosure is directed to ferrules having an anti-rotation feature along with assemblies and fiber optic connectors using the same. More specifically, the disclosure is directed to ferrules that have the anti-rotational feature formed thereon.
2. Technical Background
Optical fiber is increasingly being used for a variety of applications, including but not limited to broadband voice, video, and data transmission. Fiber optic connectors are used for making optical connections in the optical network. One type of fiber optic connector uses a ferrule as a component of the fiber optic connector where a portion of the ferrule is held by a ferrule holder. Generally speaking, the optical fiber is attached to the ferrule using an adhesive or the like and then a conventional polishing process may be used to finish the end of the optical fiber and ferrule.
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a conventional notched ferrule 10. Conventional notched ferrule 10 includes a notch for securing it with a ferrule holder molded therearound as known in the art. Ferrule 10 also has a bore (not numbered) from a rear end 11 to a front end 13 for receiving an optical fiber therein. Notch 18 has a flat surface at the rear end 11 that is formed during a secondary machining process. Specifically, ferrule 10 is manufactured such as by extruding or injection molding a material such as a ceramic into a ferrule blank and then sintering for curing the same. Thereafter, a single notch 18 is formed in ferrule 10 using a secondary grinding operation to form the flat surface as shown. Then the ferrule can be further processed and used with a ferrule holder as a portion of a fiber optic connector.
Fiber optic connectors are typically mated together using an adapter or the like that precisely aligns the optical fiber connector with the mating optical device such as a mating ferrule. The adapter aligns and holds the fiber optic connector in position so that the optical connection may be made. However, forces on the fiber optic connector or its cabling can cause damage of the fiber optic connection and result in failure. Simply stated, forces on the fiber optic connector or cabling can cause damage by allowing the ferrule and the ferrule holder in the fiber optic connector to break the bond therebetween. By way of example, FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of ferrule 10 taken along line 2-2 with a force F applied to ferrule 10. As shown, force F produces a torque about a bore 109 (i.e., the optical fiber) that acts at a contact angle α to produce a rotational force at the notch 18. Force F may be broken down into two component forces: Fμ and FN as shown. If sufficient force and/or movement is applied to the cabling or fiber optic connectors, then undesirable levels of optical attenuation may occur disrupting network traffic.
Typically, the optical networks include patch panels, data centers, and the like where a high density optical connections are performed using fiber optic connectors. Moves, adds and changes to the optical network are typically done at and around these high density optical connection locations and may disturb (i.e., move or pull) the cabling which may disrupt the optical signals.